Overview:
The Mazda 3 proves that economical, fuel-efficient cars need not be dull to look at or to drive—and these are just a couple of the many reasons we named it to our 10Best list for 2015. Available as a sedan or a four-door hatchback, a 155-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard; a 184-hp 2.5-liter is optional. A six-speed manual is standard while a six-speed automatic is optional. As with most Mazdas, driving dynamics are peppy and engaging, although road noise can intrude. Instrumented Test – 2015 Mazda 3 2.5L Manual Hatchback »

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2015 Mazda 3 2.5L Manual Hatchback

The best things aren't always free, but they're always worth it.

Passion and reason are infrequent bedfellows. You know this, right? It’s why the Italians earned the stereotype of building cars that set your hair on fire right before they set themselves on fire. So when friends and family ask for car-buying help, we tend to give bad advice. You’ve got $30,000 to spend? That’s a really nice used Porsche Boxster! You need four doors? Oh, then maybe a nice vintage Mercedes-Benz G-wagen? You’re also concerned about fuel economy and want a new-car warranty? It’s a good thing we both love cheap beer and crappy action movies, because otherwise, this friendship could never last.

There are a lot of cars you can spend $28,385 on. You might be surprised to learn that a Mazda 3 is one. A basic Mazda 3 sedan starts at $17,740, so the question of how this Mazda can cost $10,645 more asks itself. (Or it would, if autonomous cars were here yet.)

Allocation, Allocation, Allocation

For starters, the Grand Touring model tested here is a five-door hatchback, expanding the sedan’s 12.4-cubic-foot trunk to 20.2 cubes and stretching the base price $2000. Another $6600 takes you to the top Mazda 3 s Grand Touring trim level, including plenty of luxury amenities: rain-sensing wipers, a sunroof, heated leather seats, keyless entry and starting, a head-up display, a rearview camera, a Bose surround-sound system, and one of the best (i.e. most intuitive) infotainment screens in the business, controlled by either a knob or via touch screen. Enabling navigation at this level costs only $125, but this car also had the $1750 Appearance package, consisting of an attractive front air dam, rear bumper skirt, hatch spoiler, and side-sill extensions.

But that’s all fluff, isn’t it? (Hint: Yes.) The Mazda 3’s two comparison-test victories and 2014 10Best ranking aren’t attributable to add-ons, they’re due to its pure dynamic goodness. And that’s where this example really earns its keep. The “s” in the model name of our test car denotes the 184-hp, 185 lb-ft four-cylinder, which is accompanied by 18-inch wheels wrapped in 215/45 Dunlops. This 2.5-liter represents a 29-horse gain over the base 2.0-liter. The torque bump—from 150 lb-ft, or 23 percent—is eye opening. This is a very burly engine, and the six-speed manual is an excellent pairing, with short, clean operation and a light but progressive clutch.

This powertrain is such a sweetheart that one editor suggested the appropriate competitor for the 3 is not the Volkswagen Golf, but the 210-horsepower turbocharged GTI. Maybe not in direct performance numbers—the Mazda’s 7.3-second 0-to-60-mph time lags behind the GTI’s by 1.5 seconds—but there is a similarity in the way that both cars enjoy a pervasive feeling of quality and eagerness. And the GTI we tested bore a nearly identical sticker price. In spite of the way this Mazda 3 goads the driver, we still managed a 29-mpg average, spot on its EPA-combined rating.

The Contented Yes Man

We also logged a 0.84 g on the skidpad. In our last roundup of cars in this class, that figure would have been in the bottom half, but step away from the number, and the 3 has no peer. It boasts an absolutely spectacular balance for an affordable front-drive car. Turn in and tap the brakes, and it rotates right around like none other. It doesn’t wear a luxury label or a sport badge, but the Mazda 3 feels like it deserves both.

We often find that, when friends and family seek our advice, it gets less contentious if we start with the question, “Well, what are you considering?” Even at this price, a Mazda 3 would get our full endorsement.

The all-new-for-2014 Mazda 3 sedan and five-door hatchback models are great—so great that we presented them with a 10Best award for 2014. Both cars use Mazda’s lightweight Skyactiv technology and are blessed with far more refinement than their predecessors ever possessed. Mazda 3 i models are powered by a 155-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and are offered with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, the latter with a manual shift gate. Mazda 3 s models get a larger, 2.5-liter engine that produces a hearty 184 hp. Initially, the 3 s comes only with a six-speed automatic transmission; a six-speed manual will be available later in production. Front-wheel drive is standard on all models.

The 2.0-liter engine in the Mazda 3 i provides decent acceleration and delivers its torque smoothly. We found the zestier Mazda 3 s far more to an enthusiast’s liking, especially considering the automatic transmission’s manual shift paddles and sport shift mode, neither of which is offered on the 3 i.

No matter which 3 you choose, fuel economy is outstanding. The EPA rates the 2.0-liter sedan at 29 mpg city and 41 highway with the manual and 30/41 for the automatic. Mazda 3 sedans with the 2.5-liter achieve 28/39 with the automatic and 29/40 when equipped with the optional, fuel-saving capacitor-based i-ELOOP system. Hatchback models ring in about one to two fewer mpg than comparably equipped sedans. In our testing of an s Grand Touring with i-ELOOP, we saw 26 mpg in overall driving.

2010: The Mazda 3 gets all-new sheetmetal, upgraded engines, and new interiors. It looks goofy but remains as fun as the first-gen model. We consider it a good choice if you can’t afford a BMW. The Mazdaspeed 3 hatchback returns. It scores another 10Best award. 2012: Mazda introduces its Skyactiv-G powertrain technology; fuel economy skyrockets to 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. In spite of the efficiency boost, the 3 remains a sporty delight. 2013: Minor cosmetic and interior changes and an available touch-screen infotainment system are added.